Discovery unites international sales

Discovery Communications announced the launch of “One Discovery World,” a new international ad sales division created to maximize the value to advertisers of the company’s unmatched portfolio of TV channels and digital products across 220 markets. One Discovery World will take Discovery’s world-class storytelling and platforms, combined with Eurosport’s live events and recently acquired rights to the Olympic Games for 2018-2024, to now provide an industry-leading suite of assets and services to clients.

“Advertisers and brands have evolved well beyond the ad break to embed effectively at the center of popular culture,” said Jonathan Davies, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Advertiser Partnerships, who leads the new Discovery Networks International and Eurosport Ad Sales team. “We have cultivated a strong ad sales leadership team to meet this changing dynamic, and coupled with Discovery’s incredible portfolio, including Eurosport and the Olympic Games, we are uniquely positioned to provide bespoke creative and strategic content solutions to the world’s top sponsors and advertisers, and at the highest levels of service.”

Through One Discovery World, clients will have the ability to connect with key audiences and genres across multiple platforms and networks including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, Turbo and Eurosport. In 2015, Discovery Communications assumed full ownership of Eurosport, and in a groundbreaking agreement, was granted the TV and multimedia rights across Europe to the 2018-2024 Olympic Games.

“Eurosport and the Olympic Games will ignite viewers’ curiosity, before, during and after the games,” added Davies. “Sport provides us with an opportunity to work with sponsors to pair our must-have content and passionate audiences with compelling advertising solutions to drive brand awareness for clients that is both locally relevant and globally impactful.”

The new One Discovery World team features both new top-level executive appointments from across the global media industry, and combines strong existing ad sales leadership across Discovery and Eurosport to create a center of excellence. The new leadership team includes the following seasoned international ad sales executives divided by region:

Viviane Paxinos, Vice President, Ad Sales London. Paxinos is responsible for the London-based international ad sales function across brand portfolios and platforms. Paxinos joins Discovery from AETN where she led sales for the company’s UK and EMEA regions.

Atsushi Saito, as recently announced, has been named Vice President, Ad Sales Asia Pacific. Based in Tokyo, Saito will lead Eurosport Ad Sales in Asia. Prior to this role, he led ad sales for CNN in Japan.

Deena Edwards, a 20-year Discovery Communications veteran, has been named Vice President, Olympic & Strategic Partnerships. Focused on maximizing leading Olympic Games partnerships and working with top sponsors, Edwards will continue to be based in the USA and work with U.S.-based top sponsors and clients across the joint portfolio.

Tricia Thompson has been named Director, Olympic & Strategic Partnerships, Ad Sales for the EMEA region and based in London. A sports marketing expert, Thompson joins Discovery from Sky, where she spearheaded Sky’s award winning partnership with British Cycling and Team Sky.

Paul Harper joins Discovery Communications in the newly created position of Executive Creative Director. Providing creative leadership across Eurosport and Discovery’s ad sales portfolio, Harper will work with the ad sales and content production teams to develop world-class, innovative branded content solutions. Harper joins from Turner Broadcasting where he led the company’s award-winning commercial productions and branded content division. He is based in London.